Marina Novelli (PhD), a Prof. of Tourism and International Development at the University of Brighton (UK), which is an Affiliate Member of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has been chosen to lead the Sustainable Tourism Product Development Masterclass on the margins of the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards taking place on August 30 and 31, 2018, Accra, Ghana. She is also an internationally renowned tourism policy, planning and development expert.
At the University of Brighton, Prof. Novelli is also Academic Lead for the Responsible Futures’ Research and Enterprise portfolio aimed at fostering interdisciplinary and international collaborations. In fact, it is under the Responsible Futures’ programme of international engagements that Prof. Novelli and the University of Brighton are actively supporting the 1st Africa Tourism Leadership Forum.
Prof. Novelli says: “It is a privilege to be invited to contribute to the first-ever Africa Tourism Leadership Forum, which is a unique industry-focused event, providing an exceptional opportunity to bridge the gap between academia and the practitioners’ world. I am looking forward to jointly explore ways to address the multifaceted challenges faced by the tourism sector in the continent. This will no doubt be a productive dialogue and a great platform to consolidate existing and forge new collaborations in the continent.”
Prof. Novelli has mentored several African professionals and continues inspiring many young generations of Africans, through her academic and practitioner work. Over the past 18 years, Prof. Novelli has written and advised extensively in the field of international sustainable tourism policy, planning, development and management in some 20 destinations in Africa. She has plaid core advisory roles on a number of projects funded by the World Bank, the EU, the UN, the UN World Tourism Organisation, the Commonwealth Secretariat, National Ministries and Tourism Boards, Regional Development Agencies and NGOs in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Europe and Asia. She is author of Tourism and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Contemporary Issues and Local Realities (2016, Oxford: Routledge) and her work has demonstrated to have impact far beyond tourism by contributing to more effective economic growth, improved environments and more inclusive societies.
Kwakye Donkor, the convener of ATLF, says Prof. Novelli, is an Italian by birth, but a true African by adoption. “We have been many in appreciating her strong professional commitment to fostering peer-to-peer collaborations for good change in Africa. She always goes beyond her call of duty, but most importantly she known for putting at the centre of her engagements the interests of the most under-privileged communities.” Prof Novelli has mentored several African professionals and continues inspiring many young generations of Africans, through her academic and practitioner work. “It is for these very reasons that Prof. Novelli was chosen to lead the Masterclass on Sustainable Tourism Product Development and to co-chair the Committee for the first Africa Tourism Leadership Awards with Judy Kepher Gona, founder of Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda based in Kenya,” he states.
We urge prospective delegates to register at tourismleadershipforum.africa to attend, access full program and awards nomination form. For further information, contact Ms. Tes Proos at: [email protected] or call on + Mobile: +27 84 682 7676, Office: +27 (0) 21 551 3305, +27 (0) 11 037 033
The Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) is a Pan-African dialogue platform that brings together key stakeholders from Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors. It aims to provide continental platform for networking, sharing insights and devising strategies for sustainable travel and tourism development across the continent. It also focuses on enhancement of Africa’s brand equity. It is the first of its kind and will promote tourism as a major sustainable development pillar.
The Forum is being hosted by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) under the auspices of the Ghana Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the event will take place on August 30 and 31, 2018 at the Accra International Convention Centre, Ghana.
The Africa Tourism Leadership Forum is supported by the African Tourism Board.
